Scotland
Lochwinnoch 

July, 2001 
Belltrees Beild, Lochwinnoch, Scotland		     It was about 8:30 PM when I arrived in Lochwinnoch.  It's a small village; there are no hotels.  Some of the locals were out walking and I asked for a Bed and Breakfast recommendation, local if possible.  Belltrees Beild , located on the top of a hill, overlooking the village, was recommended.
    Alex Haley, in his Roots television drama, concluded his story when he was in a small African village, listening to the village storyteller / historian, telling stories of ancient relatives, when he relates the story of Kunta Kinteae, who is captured by slave traders - a story that had been passed down from generation to generation in Haley's family.  Haley asks the story teller to repeat the line and hears it again, and joyfully proclaims, "Kunta Kinteae, I have found you."
    Back in 1980, I had the opportunity to visit Lochwinnoch, if only for a day.  It was a dark, December evening.  Watching the map, I knew we were approaching Lochwinnoch, the place I had heard of so many times in my childhood.  As we rounded a curve in the road, I looked down to my right, and there was a village, aglow in evening lights.  While nowhere near as dramatic as Haley's story, the overwhelming feeling was, "Lochwinnoch, I have found you."
    Returning 21 years later held the same joy, a certain sense of place that I cannot adequately describe.  I was particularly pleased to be staying at Belltrees Beild, for I could just take it all in, looking down the hill, across the valley to Lochwinnoch, for 400 years, the home of my ancestors.
From Belltrees Beild - 

Lochwinnoch by night and 
Lochwinnoch by day.
    After a pleasant night’s sleep, I had a full Scottish breakfast – translation: if you walk away hungry, it’s your own fault!  Eggs, bacon, toast, scones, jam, cereal, coffee, tea, or milk – you’ve got the idea.  By the way, the price for Belltrees Bed and Breakfast was 20 pounds, or about $30 US, a bargain compared to US B&Bs or to commercial hotels.  “En suite” B&Bs offer bathroom facilities directly (privately) attached to the bedroom.  Others offer shared bathroom facilites, including tub & shower, a few steps down a hall.
    My Lochwinnoch B&B experience was wonderful, chatting with Andy and Mary Mackie.  Andy had some local historical knowledge, and shared with me, some of the research he had done.  The B&B experience is so much more personal, especially if you enjoy getting the local flavor and history.
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